Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An image processing apparatus for processing an image of an object, comprising: an extracting unit adapted to extract from the processed image a first area wherein a sensor detects an X-ray which does not pass through the object, and an area of a certain width which is in contact with the first area, wherein said area of a certain width is included in a second area where the sensor detects an X-ray passing through the object in an image output from the sensor; and an image processing unit adapted to process the image except for a part of the image in the first area and said area of a certain width which is in contact with the first area.
2. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said extracting unit extracts said area of a certain width which is in contact with the first area by extracting a pixel within a certain distance from a pixel in the first area.
3. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said image processing unit has a calculating circuit for calculating a feature quantity based on the image except for a part of the image in the first area and said area of a certain width which is in contact with the first area, and said image processing apparatus further comprises a gradation conversion unit adapted to perform gradation conversion of the image using a gradation conversion curve based on the feature quantity.
4. An image processing apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a calculating unit adapted to calculate a superficial content of an area of the object.
5. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: an X-ray generation circuit for radiating X-rays; a two-dimensional X-ray sensor for obtaining, as the image, the X-rays penetrating the objects, wherein the sensor is a two-dimensional X-ray sensor.
6. An image processing method for processing an image of an object, comprising: an extracting step of extracting from the processed image a first area wherein a sensor detects an X-ray which does not pass through the object, and an area of a certain width which is in contact with the first area, wherein said area of a certain width is included in a second area where the sensor detects an X-ray passing through the object in an image output from the sensor; and an image processing step of processing the image except for a part of the image in the first area and said area of a certain width which is in contact with the first area.
7. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a program to achieve an image processing method for processing an image of an object, comprising: an extracting step of extracting from the processed image a first area wherein a sensor detects an X-ray which does not pass through the object, and an area of a certain width which is in contact with the first area, wherein said area of a certain width is included in a second area where the sensor detects an X-ray passing through the object in an image output from the sensor; and an image processing step of processing the image except for a part of the image in the first area and said area of a certain width which is in contact with the first area.
8. An image processing method according to claim 6 , wherein said extracting step extracts said area of a certain width which is in contact with the first area by extracting a pixel within a certain distance from a pixel in the first area.
9. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7 , wherein said extracting step extracts said area of a certain width which is in contact with the first area by extracting a pixel within a certain distance from a pixel in the first area.
Unknown
November 21, 2006
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